Employment

Employment

In the fourth quarter of 2017, the number of persons in employment whose place of employment was in Germany amounted to roughly 44.7 million according to provisional calculations of the Federal Statistical Office (Destatis). Compared with a year earlier, the number of persons in employment was up by 642,000, or 1.5%, which was due to the good economic situation. Hence, a year-on-year growth rate of 1.5% was recorded for each of the four quarters of 2017.

In December 2017, roughly 44.6 million persons resident in Germany were in employment according to provisional calculations of the Federal Statistical Office (Destatis). A robust labour market was thus observed also at the end of 2017. Compared with December 2016, the number of persons in employment increased by 1.5% (+647,000 people). The rate of change thus equalled the annual average growth rate of 2017. In December 2017, roughly 1.5 million people were unemployed, 25,000 more than a year earlier.

In 2016, roughly 2.6 million persons in employment aged 15 to 74 years wanted to work more hours (underemployed), while 1.2 million persons in employment wanted to work less (overemployed). The Federal Statistical Office (Destatis) reports that all underemployed persons in part-time and full-time employment usually worked an average 28.9 hours per week and wanted to work 10.9 hours more. All overemployed people - full-time or part-time - usually worked an average 41.6 hours per week in 2016 and wanted to work 11.0 hours less.

Women and Men

People spend many hours a day at work – often more time than is available for their families and leisure activities. In 2016, people in full-time employment worked an average of 41 hours per week.11% of the people in full-time employment usually worked even more than 48 hours per week. This is regarded as excessive working hours.

In couples with children under the age of three, approximately 83% of fathers worked full-time in 2015. However, mothers in full-time employment were rather an exception; their proportion was 10%. To coincide with the International Women's Day on 8 March, the Federal Statistical Office (Destatis) also reports that not more than roughly 8% of the mothers of young children in couples were employed full-time in western Germany.

Atypical Employment

One in five people in employment aged 15 to 64 years (20.7%) were in atypical employment in 2016. Based on results of the microcensus, the Federal Statistical Office (Destatis) reports that the proportion of people in atypical employment remained nearly unchanged in the last three years (2015: 20.8%, 2014: 20.9%). Standard employment, too, was close to the previous year's level (2015: 68.7%), standing at 69.2% in 2016. Self-employed people accounted for 9.9% and unpaid family workers for 0.3%.

The number of people in standard employment rose by roughly 317,000 to 24.8 million in 2015. Based on results of the microcensus, the Federal Statistical Office (Destatis) reports that the number of people in standard employment as a proportion of the core group of persons in employment increased to 68.7% compared with the previous year (2014: 68.3%). The significance of standard employment has been increasing for some years now, up from 65.4% in 2006.

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In FOCUS / 2016-08-23

Immigrants: good command of German important for integration in the labour market

Net immigration in 2015 (1.16 million foreigners) was the highest in the history of the Federal Republic of Germany. For immigrants who are granted the right to stay in Germany, integration in the labour market is important. A good command of German is crucial here.

The total employment rate of immigrants not born in Germany was about 69% in 2014. Immigrants with basic knowledge of German had an employment rate of 52%. It increased continuously with better language skills, reaching 77% among immigrants speaking fluent German (native population: 80%).

Especially for women who were born abroad and immigrated to Germany, learning the language is crucial for integration in the labour market. Women with basic knowledge of German had an employment rate of just 36%. As they learned the language, their employment rate increased and reached 72% among female immigrants speaking fluent German (native women: 76%).